The other main area of concern is the pommel rise. Surprisingly this may be more of an issue for women than men. Saddles with a deep seat and steep pommel rise may not be the most comfortable choice for the average woman. Due to the shape of the female pelvis and pubic bone placement many women may experience an ongoing painful encounter with the pommel on saddles of this type.

Another area to note is the shape of the twist. Due to a more curvy natural design women tend to need more space for their thighs than men. If the twist has some concave indentation in the thigh area some women may find this contour more agreeable than if the sides were flat. Of course some women may have a pelvis shaped more like a man's and in that case these considerations might not be as crucial.

The Saddle Fitting Equation

The information above obviously figures prominently in the saddle fitting equation. Other components that round out the equation include the horse's back contour, movement tendencies and riding style among others. For a complete presentation of the whole picture see the Saddle Fitting Guide on this site. Also if you want personalized help for your unique situation please feel free to contact me.